Read this Post or You are Not Ethical

By Roy Snell
roy.snell@corporatecompliance.org

I found these ethics related quotes on BrainyQuote.com. A search on “ethics” resulted in about 200 hits. “Ethical” had about 200 hits. Interestingly there were only 4 quotes on “ethical culture” and frankly none of those 4 are very relevant. “Ethical behavior” resulted in 6 hits. Please do not quote me on these quote number as my internet searching acumen is a little suspect.

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I pulled a few quotes that I thought were interesting and listed them below. The quotes are all over the map. My take away was that this little exercise seems to support those who believe we have not focused enough on building an ethical culture. And the use of the word ethics or ethical seems to be often be used to say, “Do what I propose or you are not ethical.” For example I am not deemed to be an ethical person by Emily Post because I have no clue what fork to use first. The word really has an ill-defined meaning or the word has been hijacked by the world to promote their personal, social or political views. Personally I prefer the word integrity.

My favorite quote was from Zig Zigle who I believe was ahead of his time. And the worst quote has to go to Sigmund Freud who seems to have spent too much time with troubled people. Harvey McKay seems to have his act together. And Albert Switzer had many quotes related to ethics but I only pulled one. If you are ever looking for new material for compliance and ethics training or communications I suggest you go to BranyQuote.com and get some quotes.

“The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings.” Albert Schweitzer

“Nothing is less important than which fork you use. Etiquette is the science of living. It embraces everything. It is ethics. It is honor.” Emily Post

“Our very lives depend on the ethics of strangers, and most of us are always strangers to other people.” Bill Moyers

“Ethics is nothing else than reverence for life.” Albert Schweitzer

“Ethical decisions ensure that everyone’s best interests are protected. When in doubt, don’t.” Harvey Mackay

“I have found little that is ‘good’ about human beings on the whole. In my experience most of them are trash, no matter whether they publicly subscribe to this or that ethical doctrine or to none at all. That is something that you cannot say aloud, or perhaps even think.” Sigmund Freud

“Since belief determines behavior, doesn’t it make sense that we should be teaching ethical, moral values in every home and in every school in America?” Zig Ziglar